Chapter 7: This Life Is Unbearable

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Inside Grandma Wen’s room—
Except for the two grandsons studying in town and Wen Liyue, everyone from the first and second branches had gathered here.
Grandma Wen lay on the bed, clutching her chest, gasping, “It’s killing me with anger...”
Second Uncle Wen scowled darkly, “What exactly does that little beast want?”
First Uncle Wen said, “She said she wants to split the family.”
Second Uncle Wen frowned, and Aunt Fang’s eyes flickered slightly: “That won’t do! Who splits the family before all the grandsons have married and the granddaughters have been wed?”
The third branch was quite valuable! Just the sisters Wen Ye could easily fetch dozens of taels of silver!
Aunt Luo hissed angrily, “But they said if we don’t split the family, they won’t work. Last night, they stood at the door with kitchen knives, forcing me to cook for them.”
Aunt Fang looked down on her, “Sister-in-law, you’re foolish. If they don’t work, then they don’t get to eat!”
Grandma Wen glared at Aunt Luo, “What were you thinking, cooking for them? Do you think there’s an endless supply of grains at home?”
Aunt Luo didn’t dare argue, seeing Grandma Wen was angered by Aunt Fang’s instigation.
In this family, Aunt Fang had always been Grandma’s favorite daughter-in-law.
Aunt Fang spoke softly, “Mother, calm down first. At this point, we can only respond as things come. Splitting the family? Not a chance! I just want to see how long she can hold that kitchen knife up.”
The brothers of the first uncle nodded. They wanted nothing more than to tie Wen Ye up and beat her senseless.
But knives and swords spare no one; they dared not confront Wen Ye head-on—one wrong move and it wouldn’t be worth it.
Aunt Fang said, “Over the years, I and the head of the family have been earning money in town, taking care of Chengwen and Chengwu, and haven’t had much time to serve Mother. Since we’re back today, I’ll cook a meal for you first!”
Grandma Wen thought of how much the second uncle’s family had done to uphold the family’s honor and care for the two grandsons, and she felt a bit more fondness. She patted Aunt Fang’s hand:
“You’ve traveled a long way, go rest first! First uncle’s family, why aren’t you cooking? Fry some green beans with eggs, and pan-fry a piece of old cured pork.”
Aunt Luo was resentful at being ordered to cook, but when she heard about frying eggs and cured pork, she brightened immediately:
“With the second brother’s family back, we should at least kill a chicken and make some chicken soup, to help Mother recover her strength.”
Grandma Wen glared at her, “What else can you do besides eat? Next month, Chengwen and Chengwu have to pay their school fees again! We don’t even know where to get the money! There’s only one old hen left at home. I’m counting on her to lay a few more eggs!”
All the students in the province had to pay school fees twice a year, each payment costing two taels of silver.
Although the second uncle’s family brought home 700 wen every month, writing materials were expensive, and there was barely any money left at home.
Now, with the second uncle’s family out of work, they didn’t know how to handle the school fees for the two grandsons.
Thinking of her sons, Aunt Luo pouted and turned toward the kitchen.

...

Unable to get a chicken, Aunt Luo set to work slicing the cured pork.
A big piece weighing three jin was cut down to two jin; fried with sizzling oil and sprinkled with scallions, the aroma filled the entire room!
Before anyone caused trouble, she had already sneaked five or six slices.

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Soon, the meal was ready.
Grandma Wen and the others gathered around the table.
Wen Liyue was absent—after being rebuked harshly by Wen Ye, she felt dizzy and locked herself in her room to lie down.
The table held pan-fried cured pork, scrambled eggs with green beans, steamed eggplants, and stir-fried tofu.
Especially the fried cured pork and scrambled eggs—Aunt Luo had been generous with the seasoning, filling the house with delicious aromas.
At this moment, a few of them suddenly felt relieved that the third branch refused to work, meaning fewer people competing for the meat. Although the third branch couldn’t compete with them anyway, and barely got a few pieces.
Just as everyone was about to start eating, Wen Ye swaggered in:
“Oh wow, you didn’t even call us when the meal was ready.”
Their faces darkened instantly. Grandma Wen slammed her chopsticks on the table:
“Why would we call you freeloaders? Lazy bums who don’t work yet want to eat?”
Wen Ye countered, “That’s ridiculous. If you don’t cook or work, you can’t eat? How dare you eat the meals the third branch cooked before?”
Aunt Luo snapped, “If you don’t work, don’t expect to eat! Starve then. Get out, you’re not getting any.”
“If there’s none for us, then none of you should eat!” Wen Ye said, flipping the table. With a crash, all the food spilled onto Grandma Wen.
“Ah!!! It hurts!” Grandma Wen jumped up, scalded. Why was she always the one injured?
Vegetables and meat tumbled to the floor. Wen Ye stomped on them, crushing the fatty cured pork and eggs into mush.
The first and second branches exploded with fury.
“Damn it, you little beast! If I don’t punish you today, I’m not a Wen!” First Uncle Wen’s face twisted with rage as he charged at Wen Ye.
He had been holding back since yesterday, desperate to slap Wen Ye. Seeing she wasn’t armed with a knife, he thought the moment was ripe and rushed to grab her.
Wen Ye’s eyes flashed as she kicked a chair underfoot.
“Ah!” First Uncle Wen tripped, sprawling flat on the ground. Raising his head, a front tooth was missing, blood streaming from his mouth, and his chin throbbed painfully.
“Big brother!” Second Uncle Wen shouted, glaring at Wen Ye.
But Wen Ye looked at him with a half-smile.
For some reason, Second Uncle Wen felt a chill down his spine. With a yelp, he stepped on the cured pork on the floor, slipped, and tumbled together with First Uncle Wen.
Poor First Uncle Wen had barely gotten up when Second Uncle Wen’s fall knocked him down again, leaving a large bump on his head. He howled in pain.
After the chaos, Wen Ye clapped her hands and turned to leave.
“You fools! Before this life, I learned self-defense from elementary school!”
Though small and slight, she was skilled in using minimal force to overcome great strength.
Grandma Wen looked at the mess and the two brothers tangled on the floor, crying in anger, “What a curse!”
But that wasn’t the worst. Suddenly, outside the door came the crowing of a chicken, followed by Wen Ye’s voice:

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“Father, Mother, today we’re killing a big fat chicken!”
Grandma Wen rolled her eyes and collapsed to the floor, kicking the ground in frustration.
Aunt Luo had been craving that chicken for a long time but hadn’t even touched it. Now it was about to be devoured by the third branch’s curse! She rushed out, yelling:
“You shameless—ah!”
But Wen Ye stood there, one hand gripping the chicken whose throat had been cut, the other holding a bloodied kitchen knife. Her gaze was icy cold. Though she looked delicate and pretty, at that moment, she was as terrifying as a vengeful spirit.
Aunt Luo was so frightened she dropped to her knees, too scared to make a sound.
At this moment, the Lin couple and the Wen Lan siblings ran out of their hut.
Seeing Wen Ye holding a bloody chicken, they gasped in shock.
Third Uncle Wen was horrified: “Ye girl, how could you...”
Before he could finish, Wen Chui shoved him.
He knew what Father wanted to say — that Second Sister couldn’t kill the family chicken.
Not just the chicken; even touching the eggs was a huge taboo in the third branch.
Though scared, if the chicken was already dead, saying such things would only boost the others’ morale and diminish their own authority.
Their third branch was in a tussle with the first and second branches; they couldn’t back down!
Wen Ye caught his little move with approval and shoved the chicken into his hands: “Go boil some water!”
Wen Chui’s eyes sparkled, “Got it! Mother, Sister, let’s cook the chicken together.”
Lin and Wen Lan were at a loss but had to be dragged to the kitchen by Wen Chui.
Third Uncle Wen’s mind went blank and he followed along.
Wen Ye turned back and raised the bloodied knife at Aunt Luo: “What’s this? Want a cut from me too?”
Terrified, Aunt Luo dashed back into the main room, slammed the door twice, and leaned against it, panting heavily.
Looking up, she saw the two brothers—bloodied and groaning—sitting on the floor, and Grandma Wen on the verge of fainting.
Aunt Luo couldn’t take it anymore. She sat down hard, slapped her thigh, and wailed:
“It’s a curse! She’s a debt collector! Life’s unbearable! Waaah...”
Wen Mei also broke down: “Then... split the family! Split the family!”
That Wen girl was possessed like a demon—couldn’t beat her, couldn’t catch her, didn’t work but wanted to eat for free, and ruined the household’s things. The worst part was, no one had any solution.
If they didn’t split the family, how could they survive the new year with her around?